Veneer-sawing machinery.



No. 767,385. PATENTED AUG. 16, 1904.

A. B. GALKINS.

VENEER SAWING MACHINERY. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2, 190s.

N0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR v /Ja%{@ WL BY 7 55% .No. 767,385. v I PATENTED AUG. 16,1904.

A. B. GALKINS.

VENEER SAWING MACHINERY. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENITOH BY Wamq' No. 767,385. PATENTED AUG. 16, 1904.

A. B. GALKINS.

VENEER SAWING MACHINERY.

APPLICATION rum: nmn a, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A INVENTOR @ATTORNEYS N0 MODEL.

PATENTED AUG. 16, 1904 i A. B. GALKINS. VENEER SAWING- MACHINERY. APPLICATION FILED mm; a, 1903.

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R EA UNITED STATES Patented August 16, 1904.

PATENT @FFICE.

ALMON B. CALKINS, OF NUTLEY, NE JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN MATCH MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPO- RATION OF NEW JERSEY.

VENEER-SAWING MACHINERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 767,385, dated August 16, 1904:.

Application filed June 8, 1903. Serial No. 160,518. (No modeld T all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALMON B.- CALKINS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Nutley, county of Essex, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Veneer-Sawing Machinery, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates-to improvements in veneer-sawing machinery, and particularly to improvements in machinery for sawing strips of veneer into cards.

In sawing veneer strips into cards a plurality of strips of veneer are assembled side by side and then clamped together in a work-carriage in the machine. After these strips are divided into cards in the sawing operation of the machine they represent a large number of small pieces, which if some means were not provided for holding them together would be difficult to handle, requiring much time and care.

It is one of the main objects of this inven- 2 5 tion to provide means for readily and quickly handling the veneer cards, so that when they have been released from the normal clamping mechanism of the work-carriage they will not be liable to fall apart and may be quickly con- 3 veyed away with the least possible loss of time. For this purpose 1 provide independent clamping devices arranged to operate in conjunction with the clamping mechanism of the work-carriage, so that when the work-carriage mechanism is released the veneer cards may be conveyed away in their individual clamping devices. 7

My invention further consists in certain improvements in the construction and operation 4 of the work-carriage-clamping mechanism and means for operating same, in the workcarriage -feeding mechanism and tripping mechanism therefor, and in certain details of construction and combination of parts, as will hereinafter be more fully set forth.

Iwill now proceed to describe an apparatus embodying my invention and will then point out the novel features in claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top view of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is 5 a view in vertical longitudinal section therethrough. the plane of section being taken substantially upon the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig.

3 is a view in transverse vertical section of the same, the plane of section being taken substantially upon the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view substantially upon the plane of the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, showing certain portions of the feed rod tripping mechanism. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views, in horizontal section, of the same parts, showing them in different positions. Fig. 7 is a view in side elevation of a removable clamp employed incombination with the clamping mechanism carried by the carriage. Fig. 8 5 is a top view of the same. Fig. 9 is a view in transverse section of the same.

In the embodiment of my invention herein the machine comprises a frame 1, supportTIg in suitable bearings therein a transverse shaft 7 2, carrying a gang of circular saws 3. The saws may be driven by belt connections with pulleys 1 4c, secured to the shaft 2. A traveling carriage 5 is suitably supported upon longitudinal rails 6, forming a part of the framework 1, and the carriage may conveniently be provided with antifriction-rollers 7 arranged to run in longitudinal grooves in the upper side of the rolls 6, so that the carriage may be permitted to run freely back- 30 ward and forward longitudinally upon the said rails 6. A stud 8, projecting from the side of the carriage 5, (see particularly Fig. 1,) is connected, by means of a link 9, to ahandlever 10, pivoted at 11 to the framework of 5 the machine, whereby the carriage may be moved by hand when desired. Automatic means, however, are provided for causing the carriage to travel in one direction in feed-nuts 12, projecting downwardly from the under 9 side of the carriage-body, and longitudinallyarranged screw-threaded feed-shafts 13. The feed-shafts, of which there are two, are each provided with a plain or unthreaded portion 14, mounted to rotate in suitable bearings 15 and 16 upon the framework 1. The portions 13 and 14 are connected together by means of a universal joint 16, and a slotted bearingpost 1? guides the rear end of the threaded portion 13, but permits limited vertical movement thereof. Means are provided for maintaining the screw-threaded portions 13 of the' feed-shafts in their elevated positions in engagement with their respective feed-nuts 12 during certain periods in the operation of the machine and for automatically releasing such portions from engagement with their feednuts at a predetermined point in the travel of the carriage. For this purpose each of the portions 13 have secured thereto posts 18, extending downwardly through orifices 19 in brackets 20, secured to the framework 1. The rearward extensions of the portions 13 may be employed as handles to lift the said por tions into engagement with their nuts when desired, and hence I conveniently reduce the diameter of such rearward extensions and provide such reduced portions with sleeves 21, which may remain stationary during the revolution of the shaft proper. The posts 18 may conveniently be secured to the sleevesor handles 21 by means of short links 22. Each post 21 is provided with a notch 23, which in the uppermost position of the shaft portions 13 is adapted to be opposite corresponding latches 24, pivoted to the brackets at 25, and provided with upwardly'projecting studs 26. Springs 27 (see particularly Figs. 5 and 6) tend. to draw the latches 24 into the notches 2?) of the posts 18 when opposite thereto, so that if the threaded feed-shaft portions 13 be lifted into engagement with their feednuts they will be locked in such engagement by means of the latches 24. The latches 24 are provided with pull-rods 28,in engagement at one end with their studs 26 and at the other end pass freely through bearings 29 upon the framework 1. Intermediate the studs 26 and the bearings 29 the pull-rods 2-8 are provided with projecting portions, such as pins 30. These pins 30 are arranged in the path of movement of portions 31, secured to or forming a part of the carriage 5. Thus if the feedshafts 13 when in engagement with their nuts 12 be rotated to feed the carriage 5 from left to right (viewing the machine in the direction of Fig. 2) the portions 31 will finally strike the pins 30 and operate the pull-rods 28 to trip the shafts 13, and thus disengage therefrom their feed-nuts 12 to stop further movement of the carriage. The feed shafts are rotated by means of worm-and-wheel connections 32 with a transverse shaft 33, driven by belt connection between a pulley 34, carried thereby, and a pulley 35 upon the saw-shaft 2.

The carriage 5 is adapted to receive and carry a plurality of veneer strips 36, which it is desired to cut into sections so as to produce veneer cards. A plurality of these strips are assembled in close order and laid edgewise upon the bed of the carriage 5 and with an end resting against a stationary abutment 3T, projecting upwardly from the bed and forming a stationary clamping member. At its other end the carriage is provided with a movable clamping member comprised in an adjustable abutment 38. For the purpose of adjustment the abutment 38 is provided with a plurality of screw-threaded studs 39, projecting rearwardly therefrom and engaged by interiorlyscrew-threaded worm wheels 40, inclosed in a housing 41. A transverse wormshaft 42, having a squared end 43, to which a handle may conveniently be fitted for the purpose of turning it, engages the said wormwheels 40 and when operated causes simultaneous movement of all the said wornr wheels 40, so as to uniformly adjust the movable clamping member toward the stationary clamping member 37. By this means the veneer strips 38 may be clamped securely between the clamping members and so held during the sawing operation.

The bed of the carriage 5 is provided with a series of longitudinal grooves 44, arranged to receive the circumferential edges of the saws 3 during the sawing operation, and. further, is provided with a series of longitudinal grooves 45, alternating with the grooves 44, such grooves being provided for the purpose of receiving removable clamping devices adapted to clamp the veneer strips between each pair of saws, so that after the strips have been separated into cards each entire set of cards may be readily and conveniently lifted from the machinewithout danger of theindividual cardsbecoming separated. I have shown one of such removable clamping devices in detail in Figs. 7, 8, and 9 of the drawings, and 1 have shown one of such devices in position in its carriagegrooves and engaging the veneer strips in Fig.1 of the drawings. Only one of such removable clamping devices is shown in such. figure in order to more clearly illustrate other parts therein, it being understood that the other removable clamping devices are mere duplications of the one shown.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 7, 8, and 9, the removable clamping device is shown as comprising a bar 46,supporting a stationary clamping member 47 at one end and carrying near its other end a movable clamping member 48. The movable clamping member is arranged to slide upon the bar 46 and is provided with a pawl 49, arranged to engage ratchet-teeth upon the upper side of the bar, whereby it may be maintained in its desired adjusted position.

In operation removable clamping devices, such as described,are inserted into the grooves 45 of the carriage 5, the stationary clamping member 47 engaging the stationary abutment 87 and the movable clamping member 48 engaging the movable abutment 38. \Vhen the movable abutment is adjusted toward the stationary abutment by operation of the worm IIO wheels 40 and worm shaft 42, the movable clamping member 48 of the removable clamping device will be moved toward the stationary clamping member 47, the pawl and ratchet 49 5O freely permitting such movement. The

pawl and ratchet, however, while freely permitting the movement of the clamping members toward each other will lock them against movement in the other direction-that is, away from each otherso that when the movable abutment is moved away from the stationary abutment to release the work from the bed the removable clamping devices will still retain their hold upon the work. After the sawing operation has been completed the carriage-clamping means may be released by suitable operation of the work-shaft 42, and the six sets of veneer cards into which the veneer strips have been separated may be bodily eonx'eyed away, together with their removable clamping devices, from the bed of the machine. In this manner the veneer cards may be conveniently handled and rapidly conveyed from one place to another without the danger of their falling apart. Each sawing operation is accomplished by lifting the feedshafts 13 into engagement with their respective feed-nuts 12 in the manner before stated, in which position the said feed-shafts will feed the carriage 5 and the veneer strips carried thereby past the saws 3, until finally after they are all severed the feed-shaft-tripping mechanism will be actuated by engagement of the projections 31 with the pins 30 of the pull-rods 28, when further feed of the carriage will be stopped and the carriage may be returned by hand by operation of the hand controlling-lever 10.

It will be obvious that the foregoing is but one embodiment of my invention and that the same is capable of many and varied modifications within the spirit and scope of my invention, and, further, that certain parts may be employed in connection with other parts of different construction. Hence I do not desire to be limited only to the precise details of construction and combination of parts herein,

IV hat I claim is 1. In sawing machinery, the combination with sawing devices and a reciprocating workcarriage comprising a work-bed having an abutment stationary therewith, and'carrying a movable abutment adjustable with respect to the said stationary abutment, and having means for adjusting said movable abutment toward and away from the stationary abutment, said abutments having transverse grooves or openings therein, of a plurality of removable work-clamping devices fitted to said bed and to the grooves or openings in said abutments, said work-clamping devices comprising each a bar having clamping members adjustable toward and away from each other, and retaining means therefor.

2.. In sawing machinery, the combination with sawing devices, and a work-carriage comprising a bed and projecting abutments movable with respect to each other, of a plurality of removable work-clamping devices fitted to said abutments and each comprising a bar and clamping members adjustable toward and away from each other, said clamping devices provided with means permitting movement of their clamping members toward each other, but looking them against return movement.

3. In sawing machinery, the combination with sawing devices and a work-carriage including a bed and projecting abutments movable with respect to each other, said abutments having openings or grooves therein, of independent removable work-clamping devices fitted to and adapted to be received within said grooves or openings, said clamping devices comprising each a bar and clamping members adjustable toward and away from each other, said clamping devices having a ratchet-and-pawl connection between their relatively movable members whereby the said members, when in position in the said workcarriage, partake of the relative movement of the work-bed abutments toward each other, but will be locked against return movement when the abutments are moved apart.

4:. In sawing machinery, the combination with sawing devices and means for supporting the-work to be operated upon, including a bed and projecting abutments movable with respect to each other to clamp the work, of independent and removable work-clamping devices comprising each a bar 46, a stationary clamping member 47 secured thereto, and fitted to and adapted to engage one of the said abutments, a movable clamping member 48 carried by said bar and fitted to and adapted to engage the other of the said abutments, and a pawl 49, or its equivalent, arranged to maintain adjustment between the said movable member and the bar carrying it, substantially as described.

5. In sawing machinery the combination with a gang of circular saws, and a work-carriage 5 including a bed, a stationary abutment 37 an abutment 38 movable toward and away from same, threaded studs 39 projecting rearwardly from said abutment 38, wormwheels 40 threaded upon said, studs, and a transverse worm-shaft 4C2, of removable workclamping devices adapted to operate in conjunction with the relatively movable abutments of said carriage, but removable from said carriage.

6. In sawing machinery, the combination with sawing devices, of a traveling work-car riage having a feed-nut, a feed-shaft comprising two portions, one portion mounted in stationary bearings and the other portion threaded and adapted to engage said feed-nut, and a universal joint between the said portions permitting lateral movement of the threaded portion of the shaft with respect to the other IIO portion, means for rotating said feed-shaft, and tripping mechanism operated by the earriage in its movement for causing said lateral movement of the threaded portion of the feedshaft.

7. In sawing machinery, the combination with sawing devices, of a traveling work-earriage having a feednut, a feed-shaft comprising two portions, one portion mounted in station ary bearings and the other portion threaded and adapted to engage said feed-nut, and

a universal joint between the said portions permitting lateral movement of the threaded portionoi' the shaft with respect to the other portion, means for rotating said feed-shaft, a vertically moving member secured to the threaded portion of the said shaft, a latch engaging said vertically-movable member to retain it in its uppermost position, and tripping mechanism operated by the carriage in ment.

ALMON B. CALKINS. Witnesses:

V. A. DOWNS, C. F. CARRINGTON. 

